Dwight Howard Interview

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The man-child leads the East's biggest sleeper.

By Jon Robinson

If you're looking for a chic pick to make a run at the playoffs, look no further than the Orlando Magic. Not only do they have an old-school rebounding machine/man-child in Dwight Howard, but they've teamed him with the newly freed and ferocious seven-footer, a man who only needs one name, and that's Darko. Add Jameer Nelson as the floor general (as underrated as they come), a healthy Grant Hill to start the season (will he ever play 82 again?), and the interior D of Tony Battie, and this club could surprise a lot of people in the East.

The key, though, is the continuing development of their franchise player, and that's the muscle-bound Howard, a player as fun to be around as he is feared on the court. One second he's blocking shots or cleaning the glass, the next he's snapping his fingers as he rocks, drops, and twists with his dance moves straight from the A.

I sat down with Howard over a game of NBA 2K7 recently in L.A., and as he was wowed by the mascots dancing on the sidelines and the virtual Howard dominating the floor, I got his thoughts on the real Magic, their chances this season, and his summer on tour with Team USA.

IGN Sports: While most people your age are after highlights, you're out there doing the down and dirty work of getting boards and putting a body on someone. How did you get so old school at such a young age?

Dwight Howard: Rebounding is fun. It helps the team win. I like highlights, too, but I'd much rather have 30 rebounds than 30 points. Rebounding is probably one of the toughest things you can do in the game of basketball.

IGN Sports: How do you prepare yourself for banging down low and scooping up those rebounds?

Dwight Howard: God gave me a great ability to sense where the ball will come off the rim, and I try to use those instincts when I play. I also see a lot of tricks other players use and try to adopt them to my game.

IGN Sports: What's one of your tricks?

Dwight Howard: If someone is trying to box me out on one side, I'll tap them on the opposite shoulder. This usually makes them start to scoot the direction I tapped them instead of where I'm really at, then I slide right into position underneath them as they move out of my way. Different tricks like that I try to use.

IGN Sports: The Magic really came together and played well at the end of last season. Are you one of the sleeper teams this season?

Dwight Howard: I just think that our team is really trying to become great. We really want to win. Nobody is out there trying to accomplish their own goals, everybody has the team goals of winning, making it to the playoffs, and being successful. I just feel that we have an awesome team, and over time, we're going to grow, and as me and Jameer get older and wiser in the game of basketball, we're going to be a tough team to beat.

IGN Sports: Were you surprised how well Darko played after being buried on the Pistons?

Dwight Howard: I wasn't surprised because the summer before that I had seen him play at summer league and thought he was pretty good. Nobody ever saw how he played, but I always thought, even before he joined our team, that once he got away from Detroit, people are really going to see how good he can be. It just so happened that he ended up with us, and we're thankful. He's going to show everyone out there that he's a great player.